Captain – Chapter 363 – Who Awaits at the End?

Just like the Victoria before it, time aboard the Satin was eternally frozen, unable to progress a single inch.

Whether it was the wooden floors and walls, various furnishings, or even water and food on tables—everything was suspended at a single moment in time. Only the golden flames in the candleholders flickered with a semblance of life.

Clearly, the Devil had not yet reached the Lady’s level of power, needing to rely on ice crystals to preserve the warship rather than curses alone.

Moreover, the environment aboard the Satin differed from the silent, deathly stillness of the Victoria. Not only was there candlelight providing illumination, but one could faintly hear elegant, gentle music.

It felt as though the people of old were still present.

Just as this thought formed, Roy, walking through the corridor, suddenly felt disoriented. The candlelight ahead seemed to distort and blur as it flickered, like warm-colored dye dispersing in water, spreading into floral patterns.

An overwhelming sense of unreality washed over her, but it vanished without a trace in an instant, leaving only a feeling of being displaced in time.

What… just happened?

The captain shook her head vigorously to dispel the strange sensation that had suddenly appeared. She had barely calmed her mind and was about to continue forward when she abruptly froze again.

Because beyond the initial music, she now heard more distinct and varied sounds.

There were footsteps coming and going, sailors engaged in casual conversation, the clinking of glasses, laughter and merriment, and even…

“Meow.”

A cat’s cry?

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Roy lowered her head slightly to look toward the source of the sound, and then involuntarily widened her eyes. In her dark golden pupils was reflected the “culprit” that had caused her such surprise and slight loss of composure.

It was a Siamese cat, sitting upright before her, tilting its small head and staring at her with beautiful blue eyes. It coldly “meowed” again, as if questioning, “Who are you?”

“Are you… real?”

Roy still found it hard to believe, unconsciously muttering aloud.

“Of course it’s real. You must be new on board if you don’t even recognize the captain’s cat.”

A gentle voice sounded beside her ear, startling the young woman. She instinctively reached to draw her sword, but after fumbling around, was shocked to discover her weapon had mysteriously disappeared.

The person who had spoken behind the captain was a young man with brown hair and green eyes. He had the classic face of a nobleman’s son, with a restrained smile at the corner of his mouth, though without the malice of Cassius—quite polite and approachable.

“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Lucius Leanne, the Bosun of the Satin. I didn’t frighten you, did I?”

Seeing the vigilant posture the young woman had adopted, Lucius suddenly realized and apologetically finished his words, then extended his hand for a handshake.

“A little bit. I’m…”

Seeing that the young man seemed to have no ill intentions, Roy, though still bewildered and highly alert, shook his hand. After considering for a moment, she deliberately changed her surname: “Elizabeth Anderson.”

During this interval, she quickly sized up the young man and felt that apart from his somewhat antiquated attire, there was nothing particularly special about him. More shocking than this was another discovery.

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That was… the sudden appearance of many people around them.

It wasn’t that she had fallen into a trap and been surrounded.

In fact, these people were simply coming and going in the spacious corridor, walking arm in arm in a leisurely manner.

Their attire was similar to hers—simple short shirts and trousers, exuding the scent of alcohol and the slightly salty smell of sea breeze. They had practically carved the word “pirate” on their faces.

The pirates had evidently just finished, or were in the midst of, a celebration, their faces full of joy.

As they passed by Roy and Lucius, they all laughed and greeted Lucius, and inevitably gave her face a glance or two, either in admiration or surprise.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, which beautiful lady is this, disguised as a sailor to sneak aboard? Not the Bosun’s little lover, is she?”

“If you ask me, she looks somewhat like the captain, look at that alluring face and those dark golden eyes.”

“Shh, you dare gossip about the captain? Don’t you want to live?”

“Yes, yes, just joking, just joking…”

Two pirates with arms around each other’s shoulders walked away, making explicit jokes that reached Roy’s ears, causing her to furrow her brow slightly before revealing a thoughtful expression.

“They’re all illiterate ruffians who don’t know proper manners. Miss Anderson, don’t take offense at them.”

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While Roy was observing Lucius and their surroundings, he was likewise studying her.

Although the crew of the Satin didn’t believe in superstitions like “bringing women aboard invites misfortune,” there truly were no women on this ship, and even if there were someone in disguise, they couldn’t possibly be…

So beautiful.

Lucius gazed at the young woman’s exquisite countenance, thinking that this would never fool those lechers. Besides, with looks like these, even a man would be in danger as a sailor on a pirate ship.

“It’s fine, I’m used to it.”

Roy, unaware of the young man’s thoughts, absently replied, then felt something tickling her leg. Looking down, she discovered it was the Siamese cat from earlier, gently rubbing its head against her.

Just like Nidhogg when it wanted affection.

So cold before, and now wanting to be held—exactly like the lion on the Mermaid.

With this thought, Roy, under Lucius’s surprised gaze, bent down and picked it up.

The Siamese cat’s body was soft, its fur somewhat warm, comfortable to hold. No, it should be said—very real.

The young woman gently stroked the cat, listening to its comfortable purring, silently contemplating.

By now, she had basically confirmed her situation, and the tension in her heart had completely dissipated, replaced by a sense of realization and the calmness that comes with knowing the final answer.

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She finally understood the truth behind her inexplicable unease.

Lucius Leanne, Bosun of the Satin, was one of Captain Edward’s most dependable supporters hundreds of years ago, second only to First Mate Isaac in status and trustworthiness.

Such a figure, though not elevated to legendary status, was nonetheless an indelible legend in the hearts of all pirates.

However, like all the prominent figures and sailors aboard the Satin, stories about him were obscured by dark schemes after he followed Edward on the path to slay gods, with no subsequent tales.

He might have become a skeleton on that ghost ship, or a specter in the phantom fleet. The best outcome would have been dying in the war between the Devil and the Great One.

Certainly not appearing as he did now.

So he was fake, the passing pirates were fake, the Siamese cat in her arms, the gentle classical music, and all the vitality and beauty here were fake.

Or rather, they were a retracing of some past moment in time, and the one capable of accomplishing all this…

Who else could it be but the Devil?

So that was why she felt uneasy. Perhaps she had a premonition, knowing that at the end of this journey, at the destination reached after hundreds of years and countless sacrificed lives…

He would definitely be there.

Captain Edward Roy.